What do you do if you cannot get the passenger door open on a 1977 Corvette but you can work both handles and it is not locked?

Answer 1

I have had this problem with both doors on my 77, but mostly on the drivers door. My problem is that a lever in the latch hangs and does not return to the reset position. The handle linkage can't trip the lever to release the latch. Have tried applying grease unsuccessfully and will replace the latch when I get annoyed enough. Until then, I carry a welding rod under the seat to push the lever down. This can be done with no disassembly, just roll down window and insert the rod at rear of window opening.

Try this on your non opening door.Just bought a 77 to add to the 3 Corvettes we already have. The passenger door wouldn't open with either handle and it wasn't locked. I had to get more visable access to the latch mechanism, which meant the door panel had to come off. Got it off with the window down and the door closed. It's easier taking the seat out too, but this seat wouldn't move back to getat the front bolts. Not an easy task taking the door panel off with the seat still in place, but it can be done without ruining anything. Next was fish around with a long screw driver at the latch mechanism that I could now see. Pushing on the correct lever and the door opened. Closed the door 2 more times and had to use the screw driver 2 more times pushing on the lever to open it. What I think happened was the factory grease turned hard in the past 29 years, add in some dust and dirt and now you have grease that turned to glue. The mechanism got a bath (2 cans of Gumout) followed with a bath in WD-40 to wash, then a few squirts of engine oil. It's now opening on it's own with either handle. No adjustments on the rods were necessary as nothing was bent. It actually worked now in probably 50 consecutive tries in the past 2 months with no problems. The drivers door mechanism got the same treatment to ward off future problems with it. This problem was new to me in my 30 years of Corvettin. What seems to be a major problem is actually a simple solution, keep things clean.